Sticky toffee date cake

Sticky toffee cake(yields 2 cakes)

Ingredients
1 pound dates, pitted and chopped
2 teaspoons baking soda
8 ounces butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 tablespoons baking powder
Ingredients

For the sauce

• 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
• 40g/1½oz butter
• 40g/1½oz dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp black treacle
• 1 tbsp golden syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two round ring pans
Place the dates in large saucepan with 3 1/2 cups cold water. Bring to boil, stirring a little to break up the dates. Then leave to simmer for 1 minute before removing from the heat. Stir in the baking soda (which will cause the mixture to bubble up).

Cream the butter and sugar together in a food mixer until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, occasionally scraping down mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract and then the flour and salt and mix briefly to give a lumpy dough.

Next, add the warm date mixture in two batches. Scrape down the sides of bowl in between mixing. The dough will now be quite watery but don't worry! Finally add the baking powder (this will bubble up also).

Pour the batter evenly into the two pans  Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes for cake pans . Test if they are cooked with a small knife or toothpick, it should come out clean when cakes are done.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a  medium saucepan. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer gently for a minute or two until thickened and well blended.

When the cakes are done, poke little holes all over with chopsticks, this will enable the sauce to be absorbed more easily. Pour the caramel sauce over cakes while both are still warm and leave to soak for about 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out upside-down onto serving plates (the bottom is the most sticky bit!).

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream



Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sticky-toffee-date-cake-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

low fat celery soup

Low fat celery soup

today some fresh celery was sent to me from the farm and i made a very low fat celery soup.....Low In Calories
Not all versions of celery soup are low in calories. Opt for one made with broth rather than one made with creamor butter. This will dramatically reduce the number of calories you take in when you eat celery soup. One large stalk of celery has only 10 calories, making it a good addition to soup when you are trying to lose weight. Combine celery with other vegetables to create a filling bowl of soup that is low in calories, but high in nutrients
i made a very simple low fat celery soup but it was delicious!!here goes the recipe..
teaspoons butter
2 cups diced celery
1onion chopped
1 tsp garlic chopped
1 .5 tsp ginger chopped
4 cups chicken stock with cubes or chicken powder
salt
1/2 cup milk
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1
In a large saucepan,heat butter til bubbly,add garlic,ginger onion and stir fry 2 minutes add chopped celery. cook for 5 minutes. add stock
2
Reduce heat and cover,and let simmer for 10 minutes till celery is tender.
3
add salt and pepper. add milk. taste for salt
4
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
5
Puree the mixture then return to pan,rewarm stirring til well combined.

steamed fish with black bean sauce

Hi!! i had some beautiful chilean sea bass kept and decided to make a nice dietry and tasty fish for dinner. This recipe is adapted from nobu s book and its just perfect for this fish. The flavors are very delicate making you enjoy the quality of this fantastic fish. The black bean sauce i used was by lee kum kee.....and according to me its the best black bean sauce in the market. here goes the recipe!!
Steamed fish with black bean sauce
ingredients:
4 thick fish fillets (about 1.25" thick)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons Chinese salted black bean paste, mixed with a little sake
8 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice alcohol)
thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1 bunch fresh chives, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
directions:
1. Season the fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Spread the tops with black bean paste. Place fish into heatproof dish, add sake and steam for 10 minutes over high heat in a steamer.

2. While fish is steaming, use a vegetable peeler to slice the ginger into very thin slices, then use knife to julienne into thin slivers.

3. When fish is finished, remove the dish from the steamer and pour the accumulated cooking liquid onto a large deep plate for serving. Top the ginger slivers and the chives over the fish.

4. In a small frying pan, heat up the olive oil and sesame oil until just before it begins to smoke, then pour it over the fish. The chives and ginger should sizzle.

5. Transfer the fish to the plates containing the reserved steaming liquid and serve.